15-letter words containing a, c, e, s, l
- semi-articulate — uttered clearly in distinct syllables.
- semi-functional — of or relating to a function or functions: functional difficulties in the administration.
- semicolonialism — the state of being semicolonial
- semicrystalline — partly or imperfectly crystalline.
- semicylindrical — of, relating to, or having the shape of a semicylinder
- semilogarithmic — (of graphing) having one scale logarithmic and the other arithmetic or of uniform gradation.
- seminal vesicle — either of two small saclike glands, located on each side of the bladder in males, that add nutrient fluid to semen during ejaculation.
- semitranslucent — imperfectly or almost translucent.
- separate school — (in Canada) a school for a large religious minority financed by its rates and administered by its own school board but under the authority of the provincial department of education
- sexual politics — the differences in the amount of power that male and female people have in a society or group
- shalom aleichem — Sholom [shaw-luh m] /ˈʃɔ ləm/ (Show IPA), or Sholem [shoh-lem,, -luh m] /ˈʃoʊ lɛm,, -ləm/ (Show IPA), or Shalom [shah-lohm] /ʃɑˈloʊm/ (Show IPA), (pen name of Solomon Rabinowitz) 1859–1916, Russian author of Yiddish novels, plays, and short stories; in the U.S. from 1906.
- ship's articles — a type of contract by which sailors agree to the conditions, payment, etc, for the ship in which they are going to work
- shockwave flash — flash
- sholem aleichem — Sholom [shaw-luh m] /ˈʃɔ ləm/ (Show IPA), or Sholem [shoh-lem,, -luh m] /ˈʃoʊ lɛm,, -ləm/ (Show IPA), or Shalom [shah-lohm] /ʃɑˈloʊm/ (Show IPA), (pen name of Solomon Rabinowitz) 1859–1916, Russian author of Yiddish novels, plays, and short stories; in the U.S. from 1906.
- sholom aleichem — Sholom [shaw-luh m] /ˈʃɔ ləm/ (Show IPA), or Sholem [shoh-lem,, -luh m] /ˈʃoʊ lɛm,, -ləm/ (Show IPA), or Shalom [shah-lohm] /ʃɑˈloʊm/ (Show IPA), (pen name of Solomon Rabinowitz) 1859–1916, Russian author of Yiddish novels, plays, and short stories; in the U.S. from 1906.
- shoulder charge — an instance of a player charging into another so that there is contact between their shoulders (permissible in some circumstances)
- significatively — serving to signify.
- silicon carbide — a very hard, insoluble, crystalline compound, SiC, used as an abrasive and as an electrical resistor in objects exposed to high temperatures.
- simple fraction — a ratio of two integers.
- simple fracture — a fracture in which the bone does not pierce the skin.
- simplicidentate — belonging or pertaining to the Simplicidentata, formerly regarded as a suborder or division of rodents having only one pair of upper incisor teeth.
- sinclair, clive — Clive Sinclair
- skimble-scamble — rambling; confused; nonsensical: a skimble-scamble explanation.
- slap and tickle — sexual play
- slashdot effect — a temporary surge in the numbers visiting a website and consequent service slowdown or even server crash that sometimes arises as a result of a new link being set up from a more popular website
- sled cultivator — go-devil (def 5).
- small cranberry — See under cranberry (def 1).
- snafu principle — /sna'foo prin'si-pl/ [WWII Army acronym for "Situation Normal: All Fucked Up"] "True communication is possible only between equals, because inferiors are more consistently rewarded for telling their superiors pleasant lies than for telling the truth." - a central tenet of Discordianism, often invoked by hackers to explain why authoritarian hierarchies screw up so reliably and systematically. The effect of the SNAFU principle is a progressive disconnection of decision-makers from reality. This lightly adapted version of a fable dating back to the early 1960s illustrates the phenomenon perfectly: In the beginning was the plan, and then the specification; And the plan was without form, and the specification was void. And darkness was on the faces of the implementors thereof; And they spake unto their leader, saying: "It is a crock of shit, and smells as of a sewer." And the leader took pity on them, and spoke to the project leader: "It is a crock of excrement, and none may abide the odor thereof." And the project leader spake unto his section head, saying: "It is a container of excrement, and it is very strong, such that none may abide it." The section head then hurried to his department manager, and informed him thus: "It is a vessel of fertilizer, and none may abide its strength." The department manager carried these words to his general manager, and spoke unto him saying: "It containeth that which aideth the growth of plants, and it is very strong." And so it was that the general manager rejoiced and delivered the good news unto the Vice President. "It promoteth growth, and it is very powerful." The Vice President rushed to the President's side, and joyously exclaimed: "This powerful new software product will promote the growth of the company!" And the President looked upon the product, and saw that it was very good. After the subsequent disaster, the suits protect themselves by saying "I was misinformed!", and the implementors are demoted or fired.
- snowball effect — a process of continuously accelerating change in size, importance, etc
- social benefits — the social welfare provision made available to those in need
- social democrat — a person who advocates a gradual transition to socialism or a modified form of socialism by and under democratic political processes.
- social distance — the extent to which individuals or groups are removed from or excluded from participating in one another's lives.
- social heritage — the entire inherited pattern of cultural activity present in a society.
- social movement — a group of diffusely organized people or organizations striving toward a common goal relating to human society or social change, or the organized activities of such a group: The push for civil rights was a social movement that peaked in the 1950s and 1960s.
- social register — a directory or list of people prominent in the fashionable society of a given area
- social security — (usually initial capital letters) a program of old-age, unemployment, health, disability, and survivors insurance maintained by the U.S. federal government through compulsory payments by specific employer and employee groups.
- social services — organized welfare efforts carried on under professional auspices by trained personnel.
- social spending — the money that is spent on welfare payments
- society islands — a group of islands in the S Pacific: administratively part of French Polynesia; consists of the Windward Islands and the Leeward Islands; became a French protectorate in 1843 and a colony in 1880. Pop: 214 445 (2002). Area: 1595 sq km (616 sq miles)
- sodium chlorate — a colorless, water-soluble solid, NaClO 3 , cool and salty to the taste, used chiefly in the manufacture of explosives and matches, as a textile mordant, and as an oxidizing and bleaching agent.
- sodium silicate — a substance having the general formula, Na2O.xSiO2, where x varies between 3 and 5, existing as an amorphous powder or present in a usually viscous aqueous solution
- soft-shell clam — an edible clam, Mya arenaria, inhabiting waters along both coasts of North America, having an oval, relatively thin, whitish shell.
- soft-shell crab — a crab, especially the blue crab, that has recently molted and therefore has a soft, edible shell.
- solar collector — any of numerous devices or systems designed to capture and use solar radiation for heating air or water and for producing steam to generate electricity.
- sophisticatedly — (of a person, ideas, tastes, manners, etc.) altered by education, experience, etc., so as to be worldly-wise; not naive: a sophisticated young socialite; the sophisticated eye of an experienced journalist.
- source language — the language in which a text appears that is to be translated into another language. Compare target language (def 1).
- source material — original, authoritative, or basic materials utilized in research, as diaries or manuscripts.
- space telescope — a satellite put in orbit around the earth and equipped with an extremely accurate reflecting telescope, cameras, etc.: it is designed to relay astronomical data to the earth
- special edition — newspaper, magazine: extra issue
- special effects — Usually, special effects. a video or audio illusion in film or other media, created with computer-generated images, prosthetic makeup, pyrotechnics, etc.